The invention relates to an electric switch, particularly a rocker switch that has a rocking operating member supported in the upper part of a switch housing. The operating member has a switching pin that actuates an electric contact bridge. Between the operating member and the switch housing an at least partially elastically deformable element is disposed for urging the operating member into its starting position.
Electric switches, and particularly rocker switches, consist of a switch housing with an upper operating rocker, as is known, for example, from DE 36 15 059 A1 of the applicant. The operating rocker exhibits a downward pointing, rod-shaped switching pin which, when the rocker is operated, is connected directly or indirectly to a contact bridge or contact spring, arranged transversely in the switch housing, and presses it downward for establishing an electrical connection between, two connecting tabs. In this arrangement, the center bearing of the contact bridge itself can be constructed as an electrical connecting element to a connecting tab (DE 38 13 350 A1).
Instead of a rocker, the electric switch can also exhibit a toggle lever acting in the same way, as the operating member, as is shown, for example, in GB 1 094 822.
Such electric switches can be constructed to be bistable or monostable. In the case of a bistable switch, it dwells in two stable positions. A monostable switch always returns to its starting position. A bistable position is achieved, for example, by exceeding a deadpoint of a pretensioned spring element as is shown, for example, in DE 36 15 059 A1. In a monostable position, a corresponding spring element is arranged in such a manner that it cannot exceed a corresponding deadpoint.